House passes gas tax increase

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The Maryland House of Delegates has voted to raise taxes on gasoline in the state for the first time in more than two decades.

The House voted 78-56 on Friday for the bill, which now moves to the Senate.

The measure would apply a 1 percent sales tax in July in addition to the state's 23.5-cents-per-gallon excise tax. The increase would add 3.3 cents to the price of a gallon of gas. The bill also includes an adjustment for inflation that would add another half-penny in July 2014, for a total of nearly 4 cents.

There would be another increase of 3.7 cents on Jan. 1, 2015, with another increase in July 2015.

The price would rise to about 12 cents by July 2015.

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